The Noodle Shop
by TenTenD
Summary: People have problems. Terrifying, heart-stopping problems that no matter how much they try to outrun, it doesn't work. Fortunately, people also have friends and noodle shops. And that helps with the coping. At least, that's what Botan has come to find. People, their troubles and the Noodle Shop that keeps them all together. Main focus on the K/B pairing.


**_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho ( because I don't have any money, obviously...)._**

**_Summary: People have problems. Terrifying, heart-stopping problems that no matter how much they try to outrun, it doesn't work. Fortunately, people also have friends and noodle shops. And that helps with the coping. At least, that's what Botan has come to find. People, their troubles and the Noodle Shop that keeps them all together. K/B pairing. _**

* * *

Yamamoto Botan sighed softly and patted Sakura's hair. "That's a very nice drawing, Sakura-chan," she complimented. Sakura turned her beaming face to her teacher, and then continued colouring.

Primary school teacher, Botan, examined her other children. They were all concerning themselves with their drawings. That was all but one Kuwabara Susumu. The boy hadn't come to class again. Botan made a mental note to call his mother. Something had to be done for Susumu. He was a smart boy, but due to some unknown reasons he kept turning up late for class or not at all. It was worrying.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the day. Botan clapped her hand to get everyone's attention and stepped to the front of the room. She smiled at her children. "Alright, everyone, gather your things." The little ones did as they were told. "Now, please, get in line and go into the hall."

Parents usually came for their children and Botan didn't need to worry about them behaving on the way home. She followed Aemi-chan out. There she greeted the parents who returned the gesture. Regarded as a likable, competent teacher, Botan had managed to garner the respect of her pupils' parents.

As the last of her class left, Botan's face adopted a determined mien. She stormed into the classroom and grabbed her bag. In a hurry, she threw the door closed after her, deciding that she would lock it later. The hall was abandoned. Botan made for the stairs that would lead her to the roof. She climbed the steps agile like a cat, making a true racket. When she reached the door, to young woman stopped. She drew a deep breath and pushed it open slowly. A head full of azure hair was the first to come in contact with the sun light. Amethyst eyes searched the premises carefully. Botan stepped fully outside.

"There you are!" she spoke loudly, her finger pointing to a young boy who was sleeping on his side. "Kuwabara Susumu! Wake up!" She advanced towards him and knelt down. "Susumu-kun," she said, hand touching the boy's shoulder.

The unexpected contact made the child jump up, startled from his slumber. "What? What?" Clear blue eyes snapped to Botan. "Oh, it's you, Yamamoto-sensei."

"What is that supposed to mean, you little punk?" Botan asked, a trace of indignation in her voice. "I want to know why you didn't show up for class today."

"I didn't feel like it." Susumu looked away from his teacher's inquiring eyes. "What's it to you anyway if I come or not?"

"I want to talk to your mother, Kuwabara Susumu," Botan told the boy. "You can't keep doing this. Do you understand me?" Not offering a reply, Susumu got up. He started towards the open door. Botan tailed him. She wasn't about to give up. "Kuwabara Susumu, invite your mother to see me after classes tomorrow. It'll only be worse if I have to call."

"Okay, okay! I get it!" the boy yelled in an attempt to make his teacher shut up. Shoving his hands in his pockets, Susumu hurried along the stairs, not sparing Botan another glance.

"Well, that's it." Botan's eyes remained on Susumu until he disappeared around the corner.

"Yamamoto-san!" someone called, making Botan look at the base of the stairs. "What exactly are you doing up there?"

"Nakajima-san," Botan murmured, her face going an intense shade of crimson. "I'm heading home actually." Sakyou Nakajima Valdez, Botan considered the man before her. He was the school principal and one of the strangest persons of her acquaintance.

"Ah, I see," he condescended. "You were going to sprout wings and fly off, yes?" Sakyou lit a cigarette, smoke rising to the sky.

Hissing at the patronizing attitude he displayed, Botan stomped down the steps. "Not entirely true, I was going to summon my broomstick actually." She bristled at his smirk. "Nakajima-san."

"Who was it?" he questioned just as Botan passed him.

"One of my kids. He skipped class," she responded, halting to look back at him.

"Off you go, Yamamoto-san." Sakyou ascended the stair, probably to smoke in peace and quiet.

Marching on, Botan grumbled to herself. Nakajima Sakyou had a way of making her feel uneasy. She supposed that would be the case with all people who saw the scar on his face. "The guy looks like some sort of yakuza reject." Botan snickered at her own joke. Unexpectedly, her cell phone started ringing. Groaning, Botan fished into her purse for the device. She bit back a sound of frustration at the caller id.

"What do you want?" she spoke into the gadget, amethyst eyes narrowing in displeasure.

"Is that any way to greet your beloved cousin, Botan-chan?" a cheeky voice asked.

"Koenma, show some respect!" chided the woman. "Now, why did you call?" She had a feeling she wasn't going home just yet. That was usually the case whenever her cousin called her.

"Ano, do you know that noodle shop that's close to your school?" Koenma let out a yelp that made Botan giggle. "Ouch! Don't laugh!"

"Did you fall out of bed again?" Botan asked between peals of laughter. "Anyway, what do you want me to get you?" It was a rather alarming, and amusing, habit of Koenma's.

"Miso ramen, please." Koenma did love those noodles with a passion. "You should buy yourself some too. Don't bother cooking today."

Actually agreeing with her cousin for once, Botan nodded along. "I think I will." She didn't feel like cooking anything today, anyway. "I'll see you at home." With that she cut the call.

Botan changed directions. She passed the old dojo and took a left turn. The noodle shop was indeed close to the school. Many of the older children would come here after their day was done. It was owned by the parents of a former ballerina and was known for its delicious ramen. Botan stopped at the red light. A scream left her lips as a motorcycle passed close to the sidewalk at breakneck speed.

.

.

.

Urameshi Yusuke sped along the street. He cursed his luck. With the way he was going he would surely end up late for his first day of work. And with his record, the young man was lucky he was even considered for any job at all.

Growing up with an alcoholic mother and no father saw Yusuke become somewhat of a troublemaker. As a teenager he used to get into a lot of fight. He won some, he lost some. He toughened up. Unfortunately, he also decided to drop out of high-school. That left him with little work opportunity and too much time to get in trouble. Then, his mother fell ill and the bills needed to be paid and the doctors were breathing down on his neck. And that was how Yusuke came to seek employment at a noodle shop at twenty-five years when he could have been a university graduate.

He parked the bike and hopped off. Giving one long glance at the building, Yusuke sighed heavily. "Here goes."

The door creaked open and he entered the well lit restaurant. Nobody seemed to be there. Yusuke turned to look around and came face to face with a brunette whose sunken eyes would have given any normal person nightmares. "What the hell!"

"Watch it!" she screamed at him, the bowls in her arms tipping perilously to the side. Brown eyes became slits. "Would you get out of my way?"

Slightly insulted by the way she spoke to him, Yusuke crossed his arms over his chesty. "I'm not looking for a fight, lady. I just want to begin my bloody shift."

"You're the new guy?" She snorted. "I'm Yukimura Keiko. Welcome. Go in the back through there and change." She motioned with her head to a pair of doors.

"Urameshi Yusuke," he volunteered and passed her, steadying the dishes as he went.

Keiko watched his go. She stifled a laugh. For all that attitude, he was actually rather helpful. Shifting her footing, Keiko took the dishes to be washed. As she passed through one of the small corridors, one of the pictures hung on the wall caught her eye. There were two girls in the picture. One was clearly her, the other, an inch or so taller. Both were smiling at the camera. Wrenching herself away from the sight, the woman continued on her way. Under the picture frame two names were scribbled: Yukimura Keiko and Umeda Hana.

In truth the picture was of Keiko and the daughter of the restaurant's owners, The Umeda couple had been left without their precious daughter a few years back. Hana and Keiko were on their way to practice when a drunk driver hit them as they were crossing the road. Keiko made it out with a broken leg and a few broken ribs, not to mention a broken ballerina career. Hana was not so lucky.

Since that day, Keiko felt a special tie to this place. After being released from the hospital and dropping out of the ballet team, she took a full-time job at the noodle shop. That and she was a part-time assistant to a ballet instructor. The jingle of the bells at the entrance brought a smile to Keiko's face. They had a costumer. Good for the business, she though, satisfaction coursing through her.

At the front, one cheery Botan offered Yusuke a smile. "Hello! I would like two Miso ramens to go, please," she ordered, taking a seat as Yusuke nodded.

"It'll be just a bit, miss." For a short moment he couldn't help but stare at her blue hair. He blinked. It must have been dyed like that.

"Natural," Botan supplied automatically. When she noticed his confusion she added, "It's a genetic malfunction, or so I'm told." It was the response she gave whenever questioned about her hair.

"Right," Yusuke replied, not having anything better to say. "I'll go see about that ramen." Shaking his head, Yusuke departed to place the order.

Silence settled over the room. Botan looked up at the ceiling, counting all the things she had to do when she got home. Obviously she'd have to clean after Koenma, then she would need to start correcting those papers and after that she would need to prepare tomorrow's lessons. And, of course, she had to call Susumu's mother. Fortunately she wouldn't have to deal with dinner.

"Yamamoto-san?" That was moment in which she was transported to the past, for one brief, fleeting moment. "Botan-san. How are you?"

"Kazuma-kun," Botan greeted, recognizing the man before her. "I'm good. Just finished the day. You?"

"Me? Oh, I'm looking for a friend," the orange haired man explained, taking a seat next to her. "He just started working here today."

An image of the black haired waiter popped into Botan's mind. "Kazuma-kun, I was wondering if you have a few moments."

"Is this about Susumu?" he returned with a tired sigh. At her nod, Kuwabara groaned. "What did he do this time? Shizuru and I will have to talk about this."

"Botan-san!" the childish voice of one of her students interrupted whatever Botan was going to say to Kazuma.

"Hello, Shuichi-kun." Botan waved to the boy. Hatanaka Shuichi was one of Susumu's classmates. She looked around for his mother, Shiori. "Where is Shiori-san?"

"I'm here with my brother!" Shuichi proudly stated, pointing behind him.

Rising her eyes and preparing herself to greet the child's brother, Botan was met with a fairly astonishing sight. She let out a short breath and extended her hand just as the man did his. "Yamamoto Botan, nice to meet you."

"Minamino Shuichi," he said at the exact same time.

Confusion settled over Botan. "Minamino Shuichi?" Had her little pupil not said he was here with his brother?

Smiling at her bewilderment, the redhead Shuichi released her hand. "Our parents remarried."

He certainly knew now why his younger brother couldn't stop talking about his teacher. Were he Botan's student, he would probably have a crush on her too. As it was, he was content to admire her.

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_**A/N: Basically, it's the reality of life in small shots and a good does of optimism to go with it. Hope you liked it. **_


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